Is it just me or is there something about green coloring that dries out gum paste? I use Nicholas Lodge recipe for gum paste and the Wilton colors, moss green.
I tried not adding as much, but again, my gum paste dried out and I can't form my leaves very well.
What should I do instead? I haven't had very good results painting the leaves, they are streaky. Thanx for any suggestions!! 
Nick says that some of the darker colors--greens, browns, black,....contain charcoal and it does dry out the gum paste faster. His advice is to knead in a little bit of egg white to loosen up the paste.
HTH
Rae
I have one of those practice boards that came in the Wilton gum paste flower kit. I think maybe I am just too slow when it comes to my leaves. I tried picking up the speed a little (after kneading some crisco and covering my work surface very lightly) and got some shape into the leaf. I may be rolling it too thin? I use the very last setting, #7, on my hand crank pasta maker.
No, No! If you add a lot of crisco to Nick's recipe, you'll only have more trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too much crisco throws the whole thing off balance!!!
Please, his direct advice from his class is to add EGG WHITE--ONLY!
Rae
Actually, if you knead in "just a little crisco" every time you ready your paste for rolling, or everytime you think that it's a little dry, and you put some on your board "every once in awhile", you can eventually get too much into the paste.
The crisco adds grease, but it's the egg white that adds moisture. If the 2 are well balanced, the paste will act the way it's supposed to for a longer period of time.
My practice board is so well used, that it's cupped a bit, so the edges don't "seal" very well. If I have several items in it, the ones near the edges get dry faster.
When I have a lots of things made that I want to keep flexible, I put a barely damp piece of paper towel flat in a ziploc bag and put the practice board on top of that in the bag. I then sit the pieces inside and on top of the board and zip the bag shut. I've been able to keep things pliable for several days this way--just make certain that the paper towel isn't too wet.
HTH
Rae
My practice board is so well used, that it's cupped a bit, so the edges don't "seal" very well. If I have several items in it, the ones near the edges get dry faster.
HTH
Rae
That is so true!...I am wondering too if the gumpaste is too dry to begin with. I know I live in Florida and my gumpaste recipe turns out perfect. But Sugarshack said once that she has to add less sugar to her recipe cause it turns out to be like a rock and too dry.
I know for a fact that the thiner the gumpaste the faster you need to work. And the board not sealing well wont help. I know the majority of my students at the beginning tend to forget that gumpaste need to be sealed well so it wont dry, cause when is starts drying its more difficult to work with.
Too much cornstarch will dry it. I have taken a courses with Nicolas and he uses crisco everytime he rolls the gumpaste. He just uses a dab of it.
I never had problems doing this. But is good to know about the eggwhites if I ever have an issue like that..
Edna 
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